Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) Program

General Information

Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM), an invasive pest native to Australia, was confirmed for the first time in California and the continental United States in March 2007. LBAM has a host range of more than two-thousand plant species, and more than 250 crops.

The moth injures grapes, citrus, and deciduous fruit tree crops; feeds on host plants favored by a number of endangered species; and spoils the appearance of ornamental plants. It also threatens California’s environment — including, redwood, oak, and cypress trees — by destroying, stunting or deforming young seedlings and damaging new growth in the forest canopy.

LBAM was first found in Sonoma County in 2008, triggering quarantines by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These quarantines restrict the movement of fruits, vegetables, plants, and related articles.